Entrance platform for vaults and the like



Oct. 5 1926. 1,601,823

C. J. GOEBEL. ET AL ENTRANCE PLATFORM FOR VAULTS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1925 HU O 4 O .31

INVENTORS Oct. 5 1926.

c. ,J. GOEBEL ET AL ENTRANCE PLATFORM FOR VAULTS AND THE LIKE Filed June 5.' 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 v x-+ Oct. 5 1926.

C. J. GOEBEL ET AL ENTRANCE PLATFORM FOR VAUL'IS AND THE LIKE I INV. NgORS xiv 4 ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-sheaf. 4

Filed June 5, 1925 N \N N Oct. 5 1926.

C. J. GOEBEL ET AL ENTRANCE PLATFORM FOR VAULTS AND THE LIKE Filed-June 5. 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE ToRS ATTORNEY Oct. 5 1926.

c. J. GOEBEL ET AL ENTRANCE PLATFORM FOR VAULTS AND THE LIKE Filed June 5. 1925 6 Sheets-She et 6 I HMI T 7.3!

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'9 jfz'y- 1 3 l W1" i ATTORNEY v f motors, etc., for the Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,601,823 PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON I. GOEIBEL AND CARL BABTELS,

OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS T0 MOSLER SAFE COMPANY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENTRANCE PLATFORM non VAULTS'AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 3,

entrance into the vault and the banking floor, and to be lowered from this position to permit the vault door to be opened and closed.

One of the princip'al'objects of our invention is to provide an improved entrance platform of the above-mentioned character; one which is semi-automatic in operation, and at the same time does not require supplementary power devices, such as levers, ipurpose. More specifically, this object 0 our invention is to provide a platform of the character described which requires a minimum amount of force, and preferably the mere application of a persons weight,.to cause the platform to move into one position, and does not require the application of any exterior power to cause it to move into another position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a platform of the character referred. to, which in part serves as a door stop to prevent the door from swinging, thus eliminating the need of any supplementary door stop, which is unsightly in a banking room.

Other objects of our invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with our invention, the platform comprises a main portion and a smaller door-portion alongside of the main portion. The platform portions are so connected and counterbalanced that the weight of a person placed on the main platform will carry both platforms into lowered position, and when this weight is removed, both portions will rise automatically, but the main portion may rise above the small portion when the small portionis checked by the door. Means areprovided for releasably locking the platform in either: of its two extreme positions, and means, accessible for operation, are provided for releasing the locking means. The releasing means preferably include a manually operable plunger adjacent the platform,-

In order that a clearer understanding of our invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings,

taken substantially on the line 1925. Serial No. 34,586.

forming a part of this application and illustrating one possible embodiment of our invention. I

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a platform embodying our invention, associated with a door portion of a vault, the door being closed and the adjacent vault walls being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig.1, except that the vault door is shown open, and a supplementary bridge is shown extending across the door jamb;

Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of the latform and its elevating mechanism, t e view being taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a top View of the elevating mechanism, and is taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, and is Fig. 3; Y

' Fig. 6 is a top view of the lock releasing Fig. 7; V

7 1s a vertical sectional view of the construction, and is taken on the line99 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10' is a sectional View of a detail of the construction, andis taken on the line 101O of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of. a detail of the construction, and is taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 4; e

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a detail of the construction, and is taken on the line 7 "12-412 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of a" fragment of the construction, and is taken on the line 15-13 of Fig. 4; I I

' Figs. 14 and-15 are and are taken respectively on the lines 1414 and 15-15 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 16 is a similar sectional view, but

shows the platformin lowered position; and

each sectional views,

Figs. 17 and 18 are each sectional views of fragments of the construction, and are taken respectively on the lines 1'T-17 and 18--18 of Fig. 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, for purposes of illustration, there is shown a wall 1 of a vault, having a doorway 2 and a door 3 supported on the wall by means of hinge mechanism a of the crane type. The vault doorway has a ra sedsill 5, and the usualstepped jamb. The main floor level outside of the vault is designated 6, and this is usually level with the vault sill 5. The main floor 6 is cut away appropriately to permit the door 3'to swing open and closed, and is preferably faced with a metal plate 7 to provide a finished curb. The platform embodying our invention occupies this cut-away portion of the main floor, and in the present instance is shown to be somewhatsemi-circular in form. The platform comprises two parts or sections, one of which, 8, is shaped to be at least the size of the door in its vertical projection and is so located that it will be beneath the door in line therewith when the door is fully opened. The other and larger part 9 ofthe platform is alongside of the portion 8. i

Beneath the platform and upon a suitable foundation, such as*10, is placed suitable supporting structure for the platform raising and lowering mechanism, which is individual to eachplatform section. Such supporting structure may comprise suitably located I-beams 11, which, if desired, may be secured to each other and to the curb plate 7, above mentioned, by suitable angle irons 1.2, or by other means. 7

Each of the platform portions 8 and 9 may comprise suitable flooring secured on channel irons 13, to which the ra sing and lowering mechanism is connected.

The raising-andlowering mechanism is similar for each of the platform portions, although individual to each. For the por tion 9, the mechanism includes a plurality of vertical racks 14, which are rigidly secured at their tops to the channel members 13. These racks are in constantmesh with pinions 15. In constant mesh with each pinion on the opposite side is another rack member 16, which extends upwardly from a pan 17 and is rigidly secured thereto. The pinions are keyed or otherwise secured to suitable shafts 18, which are mounted in anti-friction bearings 19, these hearings being carried on blocks 20, which rest on and are secured to the tops ofthe'I beams 11 by suitable screws 21, or by other means. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5, this platform portion is supported on "four rack members 14 arranged a rectangle, and :thecountershock when the racks 16 poise pan 17 is suspended from four racks 16 arranged in corresponding rectangular relation. There are three shafts 18 arranged on three sides of this rectangle, and the adjacent ends of the shafts carry intermeshing bevel gears 22, whereby the racksare connected for synchronized movement and the platform portion ismaintained level at all times. The racks 14 at their upper ends may 'bethreaded into suitable blocks 23, which are welded or otherwise secured to plates 13, which in turn are secured to the channel irons 13/ To avoid the possibility of racks" '14 coming out ofmesh with the pinions'15, each blo'ck 20 may be provided with a projecting arm 24, which carries a roller 2:) in position directly behind the adjacent rack 14. These rollers prevent the racks from becoming disengaged from the pinions. The counterbalance pan 17, as sliown,may consist of'four channel irons 26 arranged intofarectangle and secured together at their meeting edges bymeans angle plates 27 andhaving a'pl'ate 28, constituting abottom, welded or otherwise secured to" the lower flanges .of these channel members. Preferably, bumpers 29 are 'provided on the bottom of the pan, and other bumpers 30 are provided on the'tops of the racks 16. The bumpers 29 take the shock when the counterbalance pan reaches the foundation, and the bumpers 30. take the meet the descending flooring of the platform;

The pan17 is weighted so as to be not quiteas heavy as the parts counterbalanced thereby. Scrap iron or'concrete may be used tofgivethe proper counterbalance effect, or other means may be. provided. Preferably the weights of the platform and counterpoise are so arranged as to normally cause the platform to assume and remain in ra sed position, and so that a persons weight-placed on the platform will causeitrto' lower and cause the counterpoise to rise.

F or'the smaller platform portion 8 the raising and lowering mechanism, as shown, includes racks '14 and 16, pinions 15, bearings "19, weighted counterpoise pan 17, shafts 18, having meshing bevel gears blocks 20, arms 24, rollers 25, pan channels 26, and bumpers 29 and 30, all similar llO'tllO corresponding parts for platform'portion-E), and similarly arranged.

To prevent-the platform from lowering, atundesired times, under the weight of a person, we. provide means for releasably locking the platform in raised position, and providemeans for holding the platform releasably in lowered position to permit the door to-be opened and closed. There also arema-nuallyoperable means for releasing theseloclringmeans to permit the platform to "moreinto raised'or lowered position.

T se c eansers sh may 'Qmr se a vertically reciprocable plunger 31 dis-' or 38 in the adjacent curb wall 7 A boltor detent 39 is slidably maintained beneath the flooring of the platform and is con-- on which the outer edge of the floor bridge stantly urged outward by means of a spring 40, This bolt is positioned to project into hole or keeper recess 37 when the platform is in raised position, thus preventing the platform from lowering, and is positioned to engage in the hole or keeper recess 38 when the platform is in lowered position, thus preventing the platform from rising. Preferably, the end of the bolt 39 is provided with a roller 41 to provide for the easy disengagement of the bolt by the releasing member 34 when the plunger 31 is de pressed, and to permit the bolt tomove easily along the curb 7 from one hole to the other as the platform rises or lowers. In Fig. 7 there is shown in full lines the position of the detent when in looking position, and in the same figure there is shown in dotted lines the position of the detent when moved into unlocking position in consequence of the depression of plunger 31. I

Preferably, the platform carries a plurality of other bolts 39 distributed at various places on its edges, adapted to lock in suitable recesses formed at appropriate places in the curb plate 7. Preferably all these bolts are connected with each other to operate in unison under the influence of the spring 40 and the releasing mechanism heretofore described. To accomplish this, these bolts may be connected by suitable link and lever arrangement supported from the bottom of the platform section 9. Forinstance,

there may be a disc 42 rotatably mounted on a stud 4'3, andeach bolt 39 may be connected to this disc by means of a link 44 in such a way that retraction of one bolt causes such rotation of the disc 42 that all the other bolts will be retracted, and that the movement of one bolt into locking engagement with one of its holes in the curb 7 will cause all the other bolts to engage in their corresponding holes in the'curb. As shown, two of the bolts are arranged to engage the small latform section, whereby the small plat orm section is restrained against moving with respect to the larger portion until these bolts have beenreleased. .A rocking lever 44 is interposed where a reverse movement between a bolt 39 and a link 44 is required.

Various views of the drawings are specific to various structural details of the construction. These will now be re-ferred'to more fully,

*ig. 9 is a sectional view of the edge of the platform adjacent the vault. This View shows the platform section 9, to which is secured the housing 45, in which the bolt 39 slides. A. vertical strip 46 is secured along I this edge of the platform, andto the outer face of this strip is secured an anglebracket 47, and a horizontal metal plate 48 seated thereon. Plate 48 extendsto the vault door and is cutaway for the hinge thereon.

Above thisplate and bracket is. a'block 49,

50 may be supported when the door is open and the platform raised.

tion by means of under-cut retaining members 51', which are'secured to the beams'13 by means of screws 52. This permits the flooring 8 to be removed, so that access may be had to the elevating mechanism be low, when desired. The flooring may be reenforced by means of a flat metal plate 53.

Fig. 11 shows an angle member 54 secured to a depending marginal plate 55 on the edge of the small floor portion 8, with the bracket 54 having a horizontal flange 56 seated beneath a marginal depending strip 57 on the adj acent edge of the main platform portion 9. When the main platform lowers, the engagementof members 56 and 57 carries the smaller platform' portion downward, but

permits the larger platform portion to rise independently of the smaller portion, as when the portion 8 is checked by the open vault door. Y

12 shows the edge of the platform portlons adjacent the curb 7. Here the periphery of the platform carries a depending plate 58. The members 7 and 58 may be curved on their upperedges with bronze, as

at 59, to create an attractive appearance. The flooring of the main platform may include a metallic plate 53, to the edges of which the strip 58 may be welded, as at 61. Any suitable flooring material, 62, may be placed on the plate '53.

Referring to Fig. 13, the plate 53 may also be secured to the plate 60 by means of any space which may exist between thecurb 7 and the'bank floor 6, as at 66.

,The operation is as follows: When the vault is closed, both platform portions are usually inraised positions. When it is des re nes h vaul th oner er d presses the plunger 31 with one foot and places the other foot on the top of the platform with a. sufficient amount of weight to start the counterbalanced platform in its descent. Such descent is possible for the reasonthat the act of depressing the plunger 81 moves the slide 34: toward the platforni, so as to push the endofdetent 39 from the hole and this movement of the detent .39, throughits connection with the disc 42, causes all the other detentsto-be, released. llVhen downward movement of the platform has begun, as before state d, the operator preferably releases the plunger 31, and allows his weight to carry the platform to its lowest point. At this point thespring 5:0 causesthe bolt 39 to lock. i11 .t-he lo wer recess .38, throughitsconneetion with 7 disc 42 causes,all thelother hriltsfio lock; in

corresponding recesses .in; the 'cnnh-Y. This downward inove nent of Ithe nain platform portion carries with itthe smaller platform portion by reason of .the engagement of inembers 5% and :57, as heretofore described. The door is now swung open. The operator then depresses :the plunger 31 without placing any weight on the platform. This r leases the holts from the lower recesses and permits the counterpoise weight to raise the main platform portion to its uppermost position. The operator may release theplunger either during or after the, ascent of-the plat form. .Spring40 nowcausesbolt 39 toloclrin the pp e s ta id the t er', boltsw l also lock in thecorresponding recessesin ,the curb. The smaller platform portion, however, willnot rise to its fullextentby reason of the door being .thereaboveand preventing such movement, this smaller platform portion will lock fagainst the door and will thu s act as a door check to-prevent the door from being closed until th is smaller platform portion has again been lowered. In order to lowerthis small platforrnportion, to. permit closing ofthejdoor, it will be necessary for theoperatorto lower the main platform portion to full'extent. During the descent of the main platform portion, its flange 57 will engagethe flange 56 on the smaller platform and carry the smaller platform down to its lowest limit, and both platform portions will be locked automatically in this position until the bolts 39 are released by actuation of the plunger 31. The door is closed whileboth platform portions are in the lowest position. Then, if the operator depresses the plunger 31 without'placing his weighton the platform, both platform portions will be raised to the banking floor level automatically 'in consequence .of being overbalanced by the respective 'counterpoise devices 17 and l7".

" After opening the door and raising the asermpoee i eiflser was removed.

is. put into place, and before lowering the platform toclqse the door, this" member is As many changes could be 'made in the above construction, and as inianyfdiffere'nt embod men of. this. invention could "be made, "without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter. containedin theabove description orshownin the accompany ng draw ngs shall heinter preted as illustrative and not inaliiniting s ns It is also tobe noticed that a platform of the ab v onst uc ion conveniently. be

shipped andinstalled as a, unit, and in this event the curb plate 7 is preferably secured to the beam llatthe factory or assemb ing Pl n to ie the entire-ass bly fi...mlya tos her- W at e claim. is:

1- n a. cleviceofkthe charac er des ribed, n ombi ation, p 'ns, nlia fonnf-haring depending raolrs inconstant mesh withone i f said P on nd MQm-nerpoise including upwardly extending in l ntm sh i th ppo ite. sides. ofssai ions, whereby said platform andcounter- @9258 re uppo t clbv sa dppinion o s mul an ou c n er alanced mov ment in opposite directions.

2. in a device of the character described,

in. mbi atieit Pin n ap eorm av ng depending racks in constant mesh with one side of said pinions, and a conntenpoise inlu i g. p ardly exten ing -ek in 0 stant'lnesh with-the opposite sides of, said pi n r ysaid,p t o m 2 d counte peise a e upiw t dr y a d pin ens oreimultaneous counterbalanced mqli lllent in pno it rh cti nsg the inte fbal nc e fec being suchthat the weight of a person placed onthe platform lowers the platform and raises the counterpoise, and when this weight is removed, the platform vrises and the counterpoise lowers.

3. :In a device of the character described, .in combination, .pinions, a platformha-ving depending racks in constant mesh Withone of said pinions, a counterpoise including upwardly extending racks in constant mesh with the opposite sides of said pinions, whereby said platform and counterpoise are supported by said pinicns forsirnultaneous counterbalanced movement in oppositev directions, the counterbalance effect being suchithat 1 the weight of a person placed on the platform lowers the platform and raises the counterpoise, and when this weight is removed, the platform rises and .the 'counterp-oise lowers, and means operable lUU portions side by side, each counterbalanced and to move into lower-ed position when downward pressure is applied thereto.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a platform including two portions side by side, each counterbalanced to move automatically into raised position, and to move into lowered position when downward pressure is applied thereto, said plat-form portions having interlocking parts whereby one of said portions may rise independently of the other portion and whereby said other portion is carried down when said independently rising portion lowers.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of revolvable shafts, pinions keyed to said shafts, a platform, racks dependinv from said platform meshing with one side of said pinions, a counterpoise, racks extending upwardly from said counterpoise meshing with the opposite side of said pinions, whereby said platform and device tend to counterbalance each other.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, aplurality of revolvable shafts, pinions keyed to said shafts, a platform, racks depending from said platform meshing with one side of said pinions, a counterpoise, racks extending upwardly from said counterpoise meshing with the opposite side of said pinions, whereby said platform and device tend to counterbalance each other, said shafts being connected to revolve in unison, whereby the racks and pinions have identical movement, and the platform is maintained level at all times.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a stationary curb having upper and lower keeper recesses, aplatform adjacent the curb and carrying a detent, said platform being movable vertically to position the detent opposite said curb recesses, means for projecting said detent into a recess as it comes opposite thereto, to lock the platform against movement with respect to the curb, manually operable means for disengaging the detent from each recess, and means for moving the platform.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, a stationary curb having upper and lower keeper recesses, a platform adjacent the curb and carrying a plurality of detents, said platform being movable vertically to position the detents opposite said curb recesses, means for projecting said detents into recesses as the detents com-e opposite thereto, to lock the platform against movement with respect to the curb, manually operable means for disengaging all the detents simultaneously from the recesses, and means for moving the platform.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, two vertically movable platform portions side by side, a movable detent on one of said portions, a recess for the detent on the other portion, means for projecting the detent into said recess when aligned therewith, to lock said two platform portions together against independent movement, means for disengaging the detent from the recess to permit independent movement of said platform portions, and means for moving said platform portions.

11. Ina device ofthe character described, in combination, two vertically movable platform portions side by side, a movable detent on one of said portions, a recess for the detent'on the other portion, means for projecting the detent into said recess when aligned therewith, to lock said two platform portions together against independent movement, means for disengaging the detent from the recess to permit independent movement of said platform-portions, and means for moving said platform portions, an edge part of one of said platform portions being above and in the vertical projection of an edge of the other platform portion.

This specification signed this 13 day of May, 1925.

CLAYTON J. GOEBEL. CARL BAR'IELS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters- Patent No. 1,601,823.v granted October 5, 1926, upon the application of Clayton J. Goebel and Carl Bartels, of Hamilton, Ohio, for an improvement in Entrance Platforms for Vaults and the Like, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 113, claim 3, after the WOIC one insert the Word side; page 5, line 89, claim 11, after the WOICl edge insert the Word part; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2d day of November, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

